Paper towel.



A. H. SCOTT.

PAPER TOWEL.

nmcmou mm nov. 2a. 1910.

1,141,495. Patented June 1, 1915.

ABTHUR H. SCOTT, OF OAK LAN E, PENNSYLVANIA.

rnrnn TOWEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1915.

Application filed November 28, 1910. Serial No. 594,484.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. Soon, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Oak Lane, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Paper Towels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to paper towels and consists of certain improvements which. are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap towel formed from paper and adapted for all general uses of the lavatory, factories, hospitals, laboratories, and for general use.

My object is to embody in the towel. cleanliness and antiseptic qualities, coupled with such cheapness that the towel may be destroved after use. The towels are preferably formed in rolls, so that only one towel at-a time may be exposed and detached, the roll form in which the towels are arranged acting to protect the unused towels from absorbing moisture and gases from the atmosphere and where a long,exposure might permit the absorption of such obiectionable elements before the towel would be used.

In carrying out my invention, I form a web of paper preferably in a roll, the said web of paper having transverse perforations at intervals to enable the successive portions of the web to be detachable from the roll to provide independent towels, as may be required; -and moreover,-the said web of paper is made of a porous characterhaving little sizing and of a crinkled character for the purpose of increasing the absorbent qualities within a given area and also for softening the texture of the paper to impart to it more or less the quality of a textile fabric, that is to say, one.-capable of being thoroughly flexible in all directions; and in addition to the above qualities, I provide the surface of the crinkled absorbent paper with additional fibers of cotton or woody fiber In those cases where my invention is not required to absorb excessive moisture, I

may employ a single crinkled sheet having upon one or both of its faces the additional fibrous structure, but in cases where greater absorbent capacity is desired. I prefer to form the towel of two webs of the crinkled paper perforated at the same transverse positions, and each of the said webs having its surface provided with the additional fibrous structure, said fibrous structure upon one or both sides of the separate webs, or upon one of the webs only, as desired.

My invention is fully set out hereinafter and more particularly defined in the claims, and my improvements will be better understood by reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a web of toweling embodying my invention: Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same: Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional web of toweling; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modification of my invention employing the double web; and Fig. 5 is a cross section of the preferred form of this double web.

2 is the rolled web of the crinkled paper and is divided at intervals throughout its length by transverse incisions or weakened parts indicated at 4, producing between the successive incisions or-perforations the individual towel portions 3.

The paper from which this toweling is made is of a very porous character, having but little sizing and provided with a crinkled finished condition of the body so as to produce greatly increased surface within a given area relatively to what would be had if the paper were perfectly smooth. This crinkled condition of the paper not only gives greater absorbent capacity to the towel of a given size because of the increased surface exposed, but also increases the absorbent qualities by reason of the fact that innumerable depressions or pockets are formed by the crinkled structure of the paper which would retain and hold the moisture by capillary action in addition to said absorbent qualities. The absorbent qualities of the crinkled paper is still further enhanced by providing its surface or surfaces with a light coating of fine fibrous material indicated at 5 in Figs. 3 and 5 which may be formed ofcotton or woody fiber, or in fact, any fibrous material having capacity for absorbing moisture. by capillary action when the moisture is directly applied thereto. such as when drying the hands or face. This fine coating of fibrous material is dusted upon the surface of the paper and attached thereto preferably at the time when the paper is being made and becomes attached in a sufficiently firm condition when the paper is dry so that the fine fibers will remain attached and will impart to the surface of the paper a greatly increased softness and capacity for absorbing moisture. In Fig. 3. I have shown the paper web 3, as coated upon the opposite sides with the additional fibers 5, but it will be understood that the additional coating with the fibers may be confined to one side only, if so desired.

In cases where great capacity for absorbing moisture is required in the toweling, the web may be two-ply, as indicated in Fig. 4, and this web may be composed of two such webs of absorbent paper as above described. VVhere said webs are coated with the additional fibers upon one of their surfaces only, it is preferable that the said coated surfaces shall be brought face to face, as indicated in Fig. 5, as this would protect the light fibrous surface and at the same time, said fibers would entwine or engage to a more or less extent and would afi'ord means of attachment for the two webs together which would make the compound or two-ply towel a very practical construction even for rough usage. It is evident, however, that two such webs, as indicated in Fig. 3, may be employed in the double web towel in which case, we would have a materially .thicker towel which wouldhave still greater absorbent capacity; but ordinarily, the two-ply structure shown in Fig. 5, would be found sufficient for commercial purposes. It will further be understood that it is not necessary in a two-ply toweling that both of the plies shall be provided with the additional fibrous coating 5, as it will be evident, in view of the above explanations, that a web having the construction 4 shown in Fig. 3 might be coupled with the second ply of crinkled paper without having a coating of the extra fibers; and it is equally apparent that, if desired, the twoply fabric may be formed of one of the plies shown in Fig. 5 with a second ply of crinkled paper but without being furnished with the additional fibrous coating 5.

In all of the constructions of my improved toweling, one or more of the surfaces, whether single or doubleply toweling, are provided with the addition of the fibers 5; and my invention is furthermore not confined to a towel of this character in the roll form, though in practice, it would usually be employed in that form when delivered to the trade. It is evident that, while this structure is described as a. towel and is especially intended for that purpose, it may be employed also in individual structures, known as napkins, in which absorbent and antiseptic qualities are desirable, coupled with the softness inherent to textile matevials.

I do not limit myself to the extent to which the additional fibers are applied to the surface or surfaces of the webs of crinkled paper, as this will be varied to suit the price at which the article is to be furnished. It is evident that in those cases where the use will Warrant a better price, the surfaces may be densely covered with the additional fibers, and in such cases, the fibers may be of cotton, whereas, in the cheaper grades of toweling, fibers of wood or other less expensive materials may be employed and likewise may be in lesser quantity, these being matters of commercial manufacture and sale to meet the require ments of. the trade to satisfy the uses to which the toweling is to be applied. It is further to be understood that in cheaper grades of toweling which might be em-' ployed for cleansing vessels or wiping ma- I chinery, etc., the cost may be considerably reduced by employing a web or webs of. un,-

sized, uncrinkled or crinkled paper which has been stretched, thereby retaining its flexibility but, providing a greater number? of towels in a given weightof paper web,

but these are not desirable forms of my invention and would not be ordinarily employed except for the purposes specified.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. As an article of manufacture. a paper towel consisting of a two-ply web of crinkled paper having interposed fibers of absorbent material in less dense association arranged between the two plies to impart to the towel a greater thickness of bodv than that due to the two layers of crinkled paper and without materially increasing the stiffness.

2. As an article of manufacture, a towel or such like article consisting of a t\vo-plycapacity of the article without materially increasing its stifi'ness.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand. Y

ARTHUR H. SCOTT; Witnesses:

R. M. KELLY, M. G. EGAN. 

